Flight Deal: Visit Ibiza, Mallorca, or Tenerife for Under $500

Travel to Spain's sunniest islands for half the usual airfare, but don't forget the SPF.

If February in Mallorca feels like October in New York (quote novelist Emma Straub), then imagine what Spain's islands are like just a few months later. There are airfares right now under $500 from New York-JFK to Ibiza, Mallorca, and Tenerife in late spring. Although it won't quite be beach weather yet, visiting any of these three destinations in April or May means fewer crowds and more affordable everything—villa stays, leisurely lunches, fresh seafood.

Travelers who enjoy live music and late nights should head to Ibiza, recently named one of the best islands in the world in our 2016 Readers' Choice Awards; finding flights from the U.S. for under four digits is rare. Meanwhile, Mallorca is for the artist and food fanatic; it's also a place we love for its "mountains and beaches and local olive oil that looks good enough to drink," says Straub. The farthest of the options, Tenerife, is an excellent introduction to the volcanic paradise of the Canary Islands and, since the deal requires a stay of at least seven days, there's enough time to hop over to Las Palmas, on the nearby island of Gran Canaria, said to have the best climate in the world.

We tested out sample dates and found a $497 round-trip ticket widely available in April and the first half of May; Delta looked to have the best option. If mid-summer is more tempting, airfares rise considerably, from $850 to $1,200 per person in June, July, and August. Flights are generally on full-service airlines like Delta, American, and Iberia, meaning you'll enjoy complimentary hot meals on the transatlantic stretches and a checked bag allowance—yes, this is a perk these days. More money for sangria!

How to book: Enter your preferred travel dates in April and May 2017 into Google Flights. If your dates are flexible, check out the "calendar view" that displays the airfares on each day, for the entire month, to make sure you get the best price. Trips of seven days or more will yield the lowest airfares, so this is not a weekend getaway but a true vacation to some of the Europe's most famous islands.